Nick heard the sounds of a crackling fire and soft voices when he woke up. It was dark out, probably around eight o'clock. He could hear Gemma's steady breathing and figured she was still asleep.

All he could think about was the look she gave him and then her screams as they took her away earlier that day. He wanted to protect her but couldn't and it killed him inside. Even now when she was in his arms he felt like he wasn't keeping her safe. He could have prevented her from all of this. The day he met her, he insisted she went with them when all she wanted was to be left alone. I'm such an asshole, he thought.

Luke noticed that Nick was awake and walked over to him, sitting on the bed next to his.

"Hey," he said quietly, trying not to wake up Gemma.

"Hey," Nick responded.

"How're you feelin'?"

"Like shit."

"Yeah…" Luke trailed off, not knowing how to ask what he really wanted to. "So, um, about you and Gemma… are you guys a thing… after a week?" he finally just asked.

"I guess… we haven't really talked about it," Nick admitted. He thought about it in his head. Had it only been a week? It felt like weeks ago since he had first kissed Gemma. "We've been through a lot… and it's been more than a week," he said after a short silence.

"Yeah, I guess so," Luke said while looking at both of their beaten faces.

Nick heard the uncertainty in Luke's voice. "Why?" he asked.

"I don' know, just wanted to find out, for the group."

"They group asked about us?"

"Yeah, yeah they did. Sarah and Rebecca think it's cute, but Carlos isn't so sure about it," Luke confessed. Carlos never took a real liking to Gemma and Nick had no idea why.

"What about you?" Nick asked, looking at Luke.

"I, I'm fine with it," he said a little forcedly. Nick looked at him like he knew he was lying. "Well, it's just it seems a little rushed, ya know?" Luke said.

"Whatever," Nick responded.

"Shit, man, I didn't mean to make you mad. Just wanted to give you an outside opinion." Nick didn't say anything as Luke stood up. "Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow," he said while awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

After he had walked away, Nick noticed Gemma breathing wasn't as steady as before and he knew she was awake. "Shit, sorry you had to hear that," Nick said softly.

Gemma looked up at him. "Was he right?" she asked, "I mean, what are we?"

He looked down at her. Her dark green eyes caught his attention and for a split second, he forgot about the situation. He needed that, he needed her. No matter how shitty the world had become, she would make him feel warm inside, like he was at home.

"I love you." He couldn't believe he had said that. The words just slipped out of his mouth. He was about to correct himself, when he heard her say it back. I love you, too. The way she said it played over and over in his mind.

She brought he face up to his and kissed him. It was long and different then their other kisses had been; there was adoration behind it. When their lips parted, her forehead gently rested on his. "I love you, Nick."

The next day, Gemma was working with a nice woman named Bonnie with a sweet southern accent. They were getting along pretty well and Bonnie would even let Gemma take it easy when she needed to. It was just them in a small supply closet filling magazines when Bonnie looked towards the door and dropped her voice low.

"Hey, so I know y'all are trying to get out," she started.

"Well, doesn't everyone? I mean, we tried, but it didn't work," Gemma said.

Bonnie looked at her in the eye. "I've got a plan that I know will work. I just need a few things from y'all," she said.

"What is it?" Gemma asked, curious.

"What I was thinkin' is that one of you could sneak out from the pen and use the ladder to get to the roof. Carver's office has a skylight over it, and said person could get in there while I distracted him and put a CD into the sound system in there. It's connected to all of the speakers both inside and outside the building. Since there's a big herd comin', the sound would send them this way, throwing all of the guards off. While they're all busy tryin' to shoot at the lurkers, y'all could sneak out of the storage room. And… I was hopin' that y'all would let me come with you," she finished.

Gemma thought about it. "I'll have to ask the group about it tonight. When were you thinking about pulling this off?"

Bonnie looked down, "Well, I was kinda thinkin' tonight would be the best night because the herd is predicted to be surrounding the whole building by tomorrow night. If we leave tonight, we'll have just enough time to make it out without there being too many lurkers."

"That doesn't leave us a lot of time," Gemma thought out loud.

"I was goin' to suggest it last night but I figured none of y'all were in the best condition to do so," she said quietly, adverting her eyes from Gemma.

"Stay by the garage door tonight, I'll let you know what the group thinks about it," Gemma said.

Once her shift was over, Gemma practically ran to the "pen". Luckily everyone was there already, so she could suggest the plan right away. Luke noticed the look on her face as she approached the fire were everyone was huddled around.

"What's up, Gemma?" he asked.

"Bonnie has a great plan for us to escape, but it has to be done tonight."

Once everyone understood her idea, the debate started. Luke was first.

"Wait a second, I don't think this is a good idea. I mean, look at Nick, do you think he's in any condition to just get up and move?" he argued.

"It's better than sitting here being controlled by that asshole all day," Nick mumbled. "I think we should do it," he said, looking up at Gemma who smiled at him.

"Carlos?" Luke asked, hoping his friend would side with him.

"Luke's right, Nick can't run on his foot. If he doesn't rest and let it heal, it will only get worse. But, at the same time, now might be our only chance."

"It is our only chance. We have to go now. There is no way I'm having my baby here, just so that Carver can snatch it up away from me," Rebecca sat up.

"I'll go with you," the girl named Jane said as she walked over from the corner.

"Hell, I will, too," the other unknown man said as he, too, approached the fire.

Gemma looked over at Luke. "Alright fine, but I don't feel good about this," he sighed.